Biz split on changes to high school standards

The business community is divided over changes made to the state's high school curriculum, which Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law last week.

The Michigan Merit Curriculum had been hailed by education advocates as one of the toughest in the country since being put into place during the Granholm administration. It required students to have passed Algebra II and have two credits of a foreign language in order to graduate.

But altering the standards had been a priority in the Legislature for several years for some Republicans, with the backing of skilled trades groups, such as the Michigan Manufacturers Association and the Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan, who felt the standards were too rigid.

The fear was that the tough standards were leading to students flunking out of high school because they couldn't pass the foreign language or Algebra II requirements. Another concern was that some students were spending time taking classes unrelated to their expected career paths, time that could be better spent providing training.

Chris Fisher

Chris Fisher, president of the builders and contractors association, said a strong Michigan needs both students who plan to go to college and those who would rather work in the skilled trades.

But Brad Williams, vice president of government relations for the Detroit Regional Chamber, said the chamber was concerned about the idea of watering down the state's standards at a time when students are entering a globally competitive work environment.

Brad Williams

"We believe in high standards," Williams said.

The chamber opposed House Bills 4465 and 4466 when they were introduced because they eliminated the foreign language requirement and changed the Algebra II requirement. In the end, the chamber moved to being neutral on the bills, and did not urge Snyder to either sign or veto the legislation.

That's because a compromise was reached that allows students to fulfill the two-credit foreign language requirement at any point in their K-12 experience. And for the next six years, high school students could fulfill one of the two foreign language credits by taking a career technical class, such as welding, where foreign language instruction would not be part of the curriculum.

One area where changes were woven into the curriculum is Algebra II. Rather than be forced to take that class to graduate, students are now allowed by law to take a career technical class to satisfy the math requirement so long as the concepts of Algebra II are used in the classroom.

Fisher said this will give students a way to see how these math skills can be incorporated into a real-world setting, as they learn in class about welding, engineering or renewable energy.

"These changes ensure we are preparing kids for college as well as preparing kids for rigorous career training and opportunities for jobs that are in high demand and pay well," Fisher said.

But allowing students to opt out of a traditional Algebra II class might be attractive to students who don't have parents pushing their children to take challenging classes, Williams said.

"At 16, you're not always making decisions with your future in mind, you're making decisions based on the moment," Williams said.

People are switching careers more often now, and ensuring that high school students have a strong base of knowledge will make it easier for them later in their careers if they find themselves looking to take a job in a field they never imagined when they were teenagers, he said.

"We want every kid to have the option to pursue college at any point in the future," Williams said. "You want to keep as many options open as possible."